The present invention relates to exercise machines and more particularly to the variable selection of the exercising load on such a machine.
There are numerous types of exercising apparatus which provide a user with the opportunity to keep fit by exercising various muscles of the body in opposition to a load. These machines take on various forms, each of which are configured to exercise different muscles in different parts of the body. Some machines combine a number of exercisers in one machine to allow the exercising of different muscle groups. A common feature of such machines is a variable load made up of individual weights the aggregation of any number of which produces the load required by the user.
A typical example of a multiple-exercise machine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,538 to Ish, which includes a press station at which exercises are performed in opposition to a selected amount of weights. The stack of exercise weights utilized are manually selected by utilizing a pin on the bottommost one of the stack of weights actually used.
The invention is for exercise machines which utilize a weight stack in order to vary the exercising load. The present invention is designed to allow a user to automatically select a load to exercise against. This may be achieved without rising from his exercising position as the device may be remotely activated. Further, the variable load may be secured to prevent accident when the machine is both in and out of use.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention an apparatus for varying the load on an exercise machine. The apparatus includes at least one load-bearing member having a plurality of receivers formed therein and a plurality of weights in slidable communication with the at least one load-bearing member. Each of the weights has a weight selection device housed therein for selectably locking each of the weights to the receivers of the load-bearing member.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the apparatus further includes a selector in operative communication with each of the weight selection devices. The selector includes a processor connected to at least one switch device.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the weight selection device includes an operating device in operative communication with a selectable locking device.
In addition, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the selectable locking device includes a plate having a configured orifice, the configured orifice slideably or hingeably engages the load bearing member.
Additionally, there is provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a method for loading weights on an exercise machine, the exercise machine having a plurality of weights in slidable communication with at least one load-bearing member, the method includes the steps of:
determining the exercise weight to be loaded; and
communicating the determined weight to be loaded to a selection device housed within each of the weights;
thereby to selectively lock at least one of the weights to the at least one load-bearing member.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the communicating step includes the step of locking at least the lowest weight of the plurality of weights whose aggregate weight is equivalent to the determined weight. Alternatively, the communicating step includes the step of locking each of the plurality of weights whose aggregate weight is equivalent to the determined weight.
Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of locking includes the step of activating a plate having a configured orifice to engage the load bearing member.